ILCK
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Joined: 6/26/2004
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I'm running this AAR as a still very, very new player (around 12 batles to my credit now) to get some, hopefully, feedback about tactics and game mechanics. It is a battle vs. the AI so it isn't going to be rocket science by any means. Also, this is the first of these things I've ever written so any feedback on the actual structure of the AAR is also welcome but be nice........
German Core:
I buy small to keep things more manageable. The list is Platoon Letter - Type: A- HQ INF, B-PZIIe, C-PZIIIe,D-PZ38(t), E- Rifle, F -Rifle, G - Engineer, H - KubelwagonFO, I - 81mm Mortar, J 81mm Mortar.
The Mission:
Advance vs. Poland, 34 turns, visibility 13 hexes
The Map:
Half width, full length map. The main feature is a ridgeline running SE to NW mid-map starting at the southern edge of the map and reaching 3/4 of the way up the map with a heavily wooded area off the NW edge. The ridge has two "peaks": one larger one mid map and a smaller one in the SE. The center ridge is partially wooded while the southern ridge is not. There are two roads, one running E/W along the northern edge of the map. Another N/S road about 3/4 of the way across the map on the eastern side. It is a very typical random map. The deployment line runs along the ridgeline SE to NW but gets further away from the VH's as it travels north.
The VH's:
Again a typical cross arrangement with 5 VH areas. One western VH sitting dead center in the German rear area. Wooded no other features. One eastern sitting behind the southern peak in the clear but between two stands of trees. The center VH's run mostly along the ridge line. The NW-most sits just beyond the main ridgeline on a low hill, the approaches are heavily wooded but the hill is clear save two wooden building and the E/W road runs through the middle of the entire area. The center VH's are on the large central hill, on the eastern flank of the hill outside the woods. The southern most VH sit on the smaller peak, in the clear on the top of the hill.
Support Units
254 support points. I pick up 4 kubelwagon(KW) scouts. They're dirt cheap. 150mm artillery battery. 5 halftracks (P platoon), 1 SdfKz 6/2 (Q platoon)
Deployment:
I'll use the platoon letters from here on out.
Northern VH [Group 1]: G deploys in the woods north of the E/W Road. E deploys south the road, also in the woods. Q is on the road in support.
Center VH [Group 2]: F deploys in the woods downhill and NW of the VH's. D deploys in a field due west of the VH's.
Southern VH [Group 3]: P deploys on the west slope of the hill followed by B and C.
The Plan:
Group 1: G and E will advance in along either side of the raod through the woods. They will not occupy the VH's. They will remain along the tree line covering the VH's. There is really no cover on the hillside so anything in the open will get mauled. I can't see a lot of armor moving through the woods so I think this area should not face major armor. The 37mm on Q can deal with light armor and is also good fire support but I wish I had some AT guns.
Group 2: F will advance east then south east and cover the VH's from the tree line. There is, again, no cover at the VH's so they will be able to fire on any units approaching the VH's. D will remain in reserve to support either F or if needed swing north to help Group 1 if a lot of armor comes down the road.
Group 3: This is the mobile strike force. The goal is to sweep over the southern VH and then travel through the gaps in the woods to the eastern VH and roll up any Polish forces caught between them and the main force.
The Battle:
Turn 1: Artillery strikes are dropped on what I think are likely Polish deployment zones. The Artillery then shifts with the mortars targeting the woods opposite Group 1 and the 150's begin targeting the clear area approaching Group 2.
Group 1: A KW moves out and tags all the VH's for me and stops along the eastern hillside. Nothing seen. G and E move forward at max speed. They need 3 turns to each their objectives at the wood line covering the VH’s.
Group 2: A KW move onto the forward slope to tag those VH's. It sees nothing during its’ turn but during the Poles’ turn it spots 5 Wz29 (armored cars) and 2 7-TP (med tanks) before being destroyed. F is in position to cover the VH except F0. That is a lot of armor and I tend to think this is the main axis of advance.
Group 3: A KW moves out over the southern hill and is destroyed by Wz 29 fire. B holds reverse slope with C in support. P holds its position w/o moving. There is a tree line on the opposite side of the hill facing the Poles I'd like to get the II's into. They will be able to flank, it looks like, the axis of the Polish advance from there.
Turn 2:
Group 1: KW still sees no enemy forces which is very odd. G and E move full speed but are still one turn away from tree line.
Group 2: F0 reaches firing position. D1, D3, D4 move into the trees overlooking the VH's to fire on the approaching armor. D1 kills 2 Wz29's on direct fire and opportunity fire from all the 38(t)’s eliminates 2 more Wz29's and batters a 7-TP.
Group 3: B attempts to reach the tree line on the east side of the southern hill. B1 then B0 are destroyed by 7-TP's while attempting to reach the tree line.  The remainder of B redirect into the trees south of the ridgeline and will attempt to flank the Poles from there but won't reach the tree line until next turn. C moves up to reverse slope. P remains in position. The B's saw 7 total 7-TP's and 3 rifle squads before getting torched. The 7-TP is a darn fine tank on par with anything I've got. BTW, 3 and 2 are seeing the same body of Polish vehicles approaching. Seeing 7 7-TP’s with infantry convinces me this is the main thrust of the Polish advance.
Turn 3:
Group 1: Still no visible foes. G and E reach their goals with Q in supporting position. The KW moves off down the road and reaches the road intersection and sees nothing. Can there really be no Poles on the northern 1/3 of the map? I call off the mortar fire here and redirect it into the field opposite group 2.
Group 2: The 38(t)'s of D continue firing but only D3 scores a hit- KIA 7-TP and scores a turret hit on another 7-TP.
Group 3: B moving through the woods catches 3 46mm grenade launcher (GL) teams in a clearing and sees 2 more rifle squads in the woods beyond. The fire from the II’s wipes out 2 of the 3 GL teams and routs the other one. This delay means B can't engage the Polish flank this turn and the presence of infantry worries me. P moves south of the ridge line to support B in the woods. C now begins to pop and shoot. C2 and C0 both KIA a 7-TP. C1 puts 5 hits on a 7-TP but no kill.  I now have 3 tanks deployed on the ridge that didn’t get back down the hill and 2 reverse slope that did. Accuracy is poor but so is the Polish return fire, one front hull hit on C1 only. My units did score several hits but penetration from the 37mm short stinks at ranges around 10.
To be continued
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